Localization of Porphyromonas gingivalis -carrying Fimbriae in situ in Human Periodontal Pockets

Abstract

Fimbriae, which are involved in adherence, constitute an important pathogenic factor of Porphyromonas gingivalis. In vivo, however, the distribution of P. gingivalis-carrying fimbriae is unknown. The localization of P. gingivalis-carrying fimbriae was examined in situ. From 19 patients with severe periodontitis and P. gingivalis, we obtained 20 teeth with periodontal tissue attached, with and without immunolocalized fimbriae. Eleven teeth were subjected to light microscopy, 9 to electron microscopy. In 6 of the 11 samples examined, we detected positive reactions with an anti-P. gingivalis-fimbriae serum, located in the cementum-attached plaque area in the deep pocket zones. In the so-called ‘plaque-free zones’, P. gingivalis-carrying fimbriae were immunocytochemically observed to reside in contact with the dental cuticle in 6 of the 9 samples examined. These findings suggest that P. gingivalis-carrying fimbriae are strongly related to adherence to the root surface at the bottoms of human periodontal pockets.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Abbas DK, Albandar JM, Messelt EB, Gjermo P -1991-. An in vivo model for the identification of serum proteins in the acquired subgingival pellicle. J Clin Periodontol 18:341–345.

Amano A, Nakagawa I, Kataoka K, Morisaki I, Hamada S -1999-. Distribution of Porphyromonas gingivalis strains with fimA genotypes in periodontitis patients. J Clin Microbiol 37:1426–1430.

Carrassi A, Santarelli G, Abati S -1989-. Early plaque colonization on human cementum. J Clin Periodontol 16:265–267.

Eide B, Lie T, Selvig KA -1984-. Surface coatings on dental cementum incident to periodontal disease. -II- Scanning electron microscopic confirmation of a mineralized cuticle. J Clin Periodontol 11:565–575.

Friedman MT, Barber P, Newman HN -1993-. Ultrastructure and histochemistry of the dental cuticle in adult periodontitis. J Periodontol 64:520–528.

Hirose K, Isogai E, Miura H, Ueda I -1997-. Levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbriae and inflammatory cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid from adult human subjects. Microbiol Immunol 41:21–26.

Kobayashi K, Rose GG -1979-. Ultrastructural histochemistry of the dento-epithelial junction. 3. Chloramine T-silver methenamine. J Periodontal Res 14:123–131.

Kolenbrander PE, Andersen RN, Blehert DS, Egland PG, Foster JS, Palmer RJ Jr -2002-. Communication among oral bacteria. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 66:486–505.

Lamont RJ, Jenkinson HF -1998-. Life below the gum line: pathogenic mechanisms of Porphyromonas gingivalis. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 62:1244–1263.

10.

López NJ, Gigoux C, Canales ML -1990-. Morphologic and histochemical characteristics of the dental cuticle in teeth affected by prepubertal periodontitis. J Periodontol 61:95–102.

11.

Mordan NJ, Newman HN, Slaney JM, Curtis MA -1999-. The apical plaque border in health and disease. In: Dental plaque revisited—oral biofilms in health and disease. Proceedings of a conference held at the Royal College of Physicians, Nov 3–5, 1999, London, UK. Newman HN, Wilson M, editors. Cardiff, UK: Bioline, pp. 343–374.

12.

Nakagawa I, Amano A, Kimura RK, Nakamura T, Kawabata S, Hamada S -2000-. Distribution and molecular characterization of Porphyromonas gingivalis carrying a new type of fimA gene. J Clin Microbiol 38:1909–1914.

13.

Noiri Y, Ebisu S -2000-. Identification of periodontal disease-associated bacteria in the “plaque-free zone”. J Periodontol 71:1319–1326.

14.

Noiri Y, Ozaki K, Nakae K, Matsuo T, Ebisu S -1997-. An immunohistochemical study on the localization of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Campylobacter rectus and Actinomyces viscosus in human periodontal pockets. J Periodontal Res 32:598–607.

15.

Noiri Y, Li L, Ebisu S -2001-. The localization of periodontal-disease-associated bacteria in human periodontal pockets. J Dent Res 80:1930–1934.

16.

Sojar HT, Sharma A, Genco RJ -2004-. Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbriae binds to neoglycoproteins: evidence for a lectin-like interaction. Biochimie 86:245–249.

17.

Suzuki Y, Yoshimura F, Takahashi K, Tani H, Suzuki T -1988-. Detection of fimbriae and fimbrial antigens on the oral anaerobic Bacteroides gingivalis by negative staining and serological methods. J Gen Microbiol 134:2713–2720.

18.

Vrahopoulos TP, Barber PM, Newman HN -1992-. The apical border plaque in chronic adult periodontitis. An ultrastructural study. II. Adhesion, matrix, and carbohydrate metabolism. J Periodontol 63:253–261.

19.

Watanabe-Kato T, Hayashi JI, Terazawa Y, Hoover CI, Nakayama K, Hibi E, et al. -1998-. Isolation and characterization of transposon-induced mutants of Porphyromonas gingivalis deficient in fimbriation. Microb Pathog 24:25–35.

20.

Yoshimura F, Takahashi K, Nodasaka Y, Suzuki T -1984-. Purification and characterization of a novel type of fimbriae from the oral anaerobe Bacteroides gingivalis. J Bacteriol 160:949–957.

21.

Yoshimura F, Takasawa T, Yoneyama M, Yamaguchi T, Shiokawa H, Suzuki T -1985-. Fimbriae from the oral anaerobe Bacteroides gingivalis: physical, chemical, and immunological properties. J Bacteriol 163:730–734.